City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chicago | Midland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,400/mo | 6.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $280,700 | 8.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $90,448 | 20.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 102.4 | 5.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 100.3 | 7.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 88.7 | 11.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 105.7 | 7.8% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chicago, you'd need $103,136 in Midland to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 3% cheaper overall than Midland, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Chicago than in Midland. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $82,509 in Midland to keep the same standard of living.